The poisoned chalice

'On behalf of all of you, I have accepted.'
    Both Benjamin and I wisely kept our mouths shut until we were out of the main hall.
    'Vauban wanted that attack,' Benjamin muttered. 'He may wish to kill us all, or some of us.' He stared down and studied one of the fire arrows dropped the previous night. 'Or he could just have wished to have an excuse for placing men near the chateau to keep us under closer observation.' He smiled sideways at me. 'But at least we will get to Fontainebleau. A chance to meet His Most Christian Majesty!'
    'And examine his damned ring!' I replied crossly. 'Master, in God's name what are we to do about that?' 'Nothing,' Benjamin replied. 'At Fontainebleau we do nothing but watch and listen.' He seized me by the arm. 'At no time, Roger, do we make our move there. What are we but simple Englishmen? The French king is well guarded and he covets that ring more than honour itself. Whatever temptations are presented to us, we must not react.' 'And if we fail to take it?' I asked dourly.
    Benjamin grinned. 'In that case, my dear Roger, we learn French well and make friends with Monsieur Vauban because we can never return to England.'
    We left the chateau early the following morning, each of us resplendent in whatever finery we could pluck from our wardrobes. Actually, we looked like a group of crows compared to the Lady Francesca who was resplendent in a gown of gold brocade trimmed with lynx skins.
    We reached Fontainebleau late that afternoon, and how can I describe it? Its great round towers, the dancing outlines of precise yet beautiful Italian architecture, the splendid red spire of St Hubert's Chapel, the great clock with dogs chasing a stag; on the hour, the bark of the dogs accompanied each chime whilst the stag moved to sound the final chime. Thirteen staircases, hundreds of rooms, alabaster statues of Cupid and Venus with others sculpted in fleshy bronzeness by the French king's Italian artists. All around the palace were cool, lime-shaded gardens full of lilies, violets and wood sorrel; now and again, white-colonnaded courtyards with shimmering pavements of alternating black and white marble stone. The rooms inside were stuffed with the loot from Francis's expeditions into Italy; tapestries, more statues, gold and silver artefacts, jewelled vases, and the softest carpets of pure wool in various hues.
    Grooms took our horses, and minions in the blue and gold tabards of the French king led Sir Robert and Lady Francesca away. Dacourt also was provided with his own chamber but we were taken to the top of the palace. Any higher and we would have been on the bloody roof, and squeezed into rather mean, dark garrets. Now I have always been very particular whom I sleep with and I didn't like sharing my room with a possible murderer. I also resented the way Millet was simpering at me. He was wearing more lace than the Lady Francesca!
    I'll keep away from you, my fine bucko, I thought, and if I drop anything I'll kick it to the door before I pick it up. (No, my chaplain is wrong. I'm not being unkind. I just find such people strange though I admit some, like Marlowe, have been great friends. What I am saying is, it depends on the person. Marlowe was charming, witty, and very, very funny, but there was something about Millet I didn't like.) Peckle grumbled about the treatment due to envoys but the good physician, Throgmorton, laughed sourly and said he was pleased to be as far away from the Frogs as possible. Servants brought up our baggage, we unpacked, then heard a knocking on the wall outside. Benjamin, who had been sitting on the edge of his trestle bed, got up and opened the door. He looked out and came back, torn between anger and laughter. 'What's the matter, Daunbey?' Throgmorton asked.
    'The French have just put a painting up outside our room.'
    'Oh, that's nice,' Peckle observed sarcastically. 'What is it? A picture of the French defeat at Agincourt?' Benjamin shook his head. 'La Belle Jardiniere: 'So what?' I muttered. 'What the hell are they doing?'
    'The painting's by Raphael,' Benjamin replied. 'They are mocking us.'
    Do you know, that's the first time I began to wonder about the name Raphael. Why did the spy use it? Why not Ragwort? Or Fat Cheeks? Why Raphael? The name of an angel, an archangel to be sure, and therefore linked to Vauban's motley crew, but also the name of a great Italian painter. Our debate on this intended insult by the French was summarily ended: a wand-bearing